


When You Need Me

by upsteadheart



Category: Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:47:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29793507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/upsteadheart/pseuds/upsteadheart
Summary: I felt the need to write some fluffy Halstead family, so I did!
Relationships: Jay Halstead & Hailey Upton, Jay Halstead/Hailey Upton
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	When You Need Me

As Jay pulled into the driveway, he was beyond exhausted, and ready to just crash for the rare weekend off of work the team had been blessed with on their way out of the district tonight.

He had to practically drag himself out of the driver’s seat and over to the front door of the house, every step he took feeling like lifting a ton of bricks.

Turning the key into the door and stepping inside, Jay was immediately greeted as though he’d been gone a year. “Dada!” He heard from a short distance away, making him instantly light up at the sight of a little blonde tyke incoming.

He barely had his jacket off and hung up, before his little girl came bolting in his direction as fast as her little legs could carry her. As the little girl reached him, her daddy lifted her into his arms, hugging the stuffing out of her.

The little blondie, mirroring the perfect image of her mom, releasing infectious belly laughs, as her father peppered kisses all over her tiny face.

“Were you a good girl for mommy today?” Jay asked his little girl. “Yeah!” She released, making him laugh at her adorable antics.

“Is mommy gonna have the same story?” He teased, pressing his nose against her much tinier one. “She was a perfect angel.” Jay’s head turned at the sound of his wife’s voice.

The sight of Hailey’s soft features always made the tensions of the day leave his body. Not having her by his side at work every day while she was on mat leave did suck.

Jay missed their in-car conversations, going to lunch, having his partner to bounce off of in interrogations, keeping his head stable when the officers on the team did something reckless or stupid…

But, they had a family to think about now, and both their priorities and plans stretched far beyond just themselves and the job now.

Hailey had had a hell of a time getting pregnant, and that day in the doctor’s office when her OB told them the hormone injections had gone and done it and helped them get pregnant, it felt as if a miracle had fallen at their feet.

After that day, Hailey had become uber conscious of every step she took, move she made, and thing she did throughout the rest of her pregnancy.

Once Chloe had come into the world, and they had their little miracle baby within their grasp, she instantly became their whole world, and the center of every decision they made together. Including the one Hailey had made, opting to take an extended maternity leave to spend at home with their daughter.

“Well, you’d never know it lookin’ at her bouncing off walls now… But she’s running a bit of a fever.” Hailey told her husband.

Jay looked at his wife concerned. “Her ears actin’ up again?” Jay wondered, running a hand through Chloe’s golden curls, and getting a nod back from his wife.

Chloe had started getting ear infections like clockwork the last few months. But their pediatrician assured them it wasn’t unnatural for toddlers to get them way more frequently than adults, and as long as they kept an eye on her symptoms, everything would be fine.

“She started pulling at her ear just a little before lunch. You know her, she’s the most unfussy baby you’ve ever met. But she just got really moody out of nowhere, barely touched her lunch, cried for like an hour straight, and wouldn’t go down for her nap.

She fell asleep in my arms on the couch instead, and honestly, I just didn’t care at that point. She was finally out, I just let her.

I called Dr. Benjamin to let her know, and she said to let Chloe drink all the juice she wants to keep her as hydrated as possible, and then get her into a lukewarm tub.

Her temperature started to go down after I got her out of the bath, but I’m gonna keep a close eye tonight and tomorrow, make sure it stays down.

She took her Motrin like a champ, so I’m hoping that helps keep the pain away for the night.” Hailey beamed at her daughter, currently playing with the collar on Jay’s Henley.

Hailey dropped a deep breath and sigh, now that Chloe was fully occupied and focussed on something besides her mother’s undivided attention.

“Hails…” Jay dropped his other hand to her arm. The blonde scrubbed her hands over her face, pressing back the tears pricking at her eyes.

“She was in so much pain this morning, Jay. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get her to stop crying, I felt so useless. What kind of mother can’t make her baby stop crying?” Hailey rambled, tears coming to her eyes.

“Come here.” Jay took her by the hand, bringing her into his chest, his hand around the back of her head, as he pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.

“Hails… Chloe’s 18 months old. She doesn’t know what’s goin’ on, or why she’s in pain… All she knows is that you’re here. And when she’s upset, she goes to you, and you’re gonna hold her, and everything’s gonna be okay.” Jay told his wife.

He wrapped his thumb and index around her chin, softly stroking his thumb over her skin, and looking into Hailey’s sharp, stormy eyes.

“You are the greatest partner I could’ve ever asked to raise my little girl with. I love you so much, and I know Chlo does too. We’re gonna have moments of doubt sometimes, and wonder if we’re doing anything right.

There’s a reason why we’re doing this as a team, and raising our daughter together. To give her life she deserves, the household neither of us had growing up, and the family she needs to have watching her back when she goes out there and takes on the world someday.

Until then, we’ve got this, Hails.” Jay told her confidently. Hailey sniffed back a few more tears and nodded her head.

Jay lifted her chin up, bending down to kiss her softly. Then smiled into her eyes, remembering all over again the millions of reasons he fell in love with her.

“Common. Let’s get our little girl to sleep, and then go spend some time just me and you.” Hailey smiled at that, slipping her hand into his.

–

Jay sat in the chair by Chloe’s bed, taking off his shirt, and then holding her little head against his chest, letting Chloe use the sound of his heartbeat to lull herself to sleep.

Once she was out, Jay very carefully carried her over to her bed, tucking in her tiny little body. Hailey raised the rails to keep her from tumbling in the night.

They both stood there for just a minute, Jay’s arm wrapped around her waist, as they looked down at their daughter’s peacefully sleeping form.

“I look at her sometimes, and I still can’t believe she’s real.” Hailey whispered softly to her husband. “I know what you mean.” Jay agreed.

“I look at you both, and I still pinch myself, waiting to wake up from this dreamworld where I have the perfect family.” He breathed into her hair.

Hailey turned around and wrapped her arms around Jay’s midsection, dropping her head to his chest. Jay held her tight in his arms, relishing in the way Hailey clung to his security, and feeling his nerves finally come down from the day behind him.

“Ready for that cuddle I robbed you off this morning?” Jay asked his wife. It wasn’t rare for them to be called to scenes at all hours of the night and/or morning. They were used to that by now.

But there was a silent anxiety now that their routine was Jay taking off on a case while Hailey stayed behind with the baby.

He’d had to leave their bed this morning just before six, having to slip quietly from the bed to let Hailey sleep until Chloe would eventually wake her up.

With the next two days off work, they were able to catch up their lack of time to spend together.

“That sounds great.” Hailey beamed up at him.

“Let’s go.” Jay breathed to her, taking his wife by the hand, and leading her out of their daughter’s room, both of them looking back at her once more, before turning out the lights and crossing the hall into their own bedroom for the night.


End file.
